A Different World
by Elephant Travels
Summary: Morgan Summers lives her life in the shadows of the Upper East Side elite and wishing she could for once be visible, what she doesn't know is that becoming visible will change her world in every possible way and not all of it will be positive. Remember, in the world of Gossip Girl nothing stays secret for very long, who will save her? Will anyone?
1. Chapter 1

As if being in love with someone like Nate Archibald wasn't bad enough, I had to spend my days watching him, doing his bidding, knowing that he doesn't even know that I exist. It laughable, not even Gossip girl knows I exist. No one does. Don't get confused or anything, I'm not a ghost, I'm not actually physically invisible, I'm just… well, poor. I should be grateful that with no money and living in foster care that I still get to go to the best school in the city but I wasn't. I was here on scholarship and I was surrounded on a daily basis by the elite, the richest that New York has to offer and the most beautiful. In some ways being invisible was a blessing, I could stare at Nate all I wanted without anyone noticing, I could pretty much do as I like without anyone noticing, because I had no one to notice.

That's how I find myself sitting alone in the quad at school, picking at the stale piece of bread I was given by my foster mum this morning, staring longingly in Nate's direction.

"Hey charity case what do you think you are staring at?" a waspish voice sounds in my ear suddenly and I jump in shock, so long has it been since anyone at this school spoke to me.

"I…" there's nothing I can say, my voice stuck in my throat as I stare up at Blair Waldorf, my entire body pulses with panic as I glance around to see everyone staring at me. The most popular kids, the richest and most beautiful kids of the most beautiful and richest kids.

"Looks like you've got an admirer Nate," Chuck Bass drawls and I feel my cheeks flame as I try to gather my things together to leave before anyone else can say anything.

"Don't run away, you haven't finished your… lunch," Blair smirks as she eyes the bread on the table.

"New diet?" Dan asks and I shrink in on myself completely, I had thought that if anyone understood my life and situation it would be Dan, I mean I knew it wasn't the same but he at least had a part scholarship.

"No," I whisper, cringing away from the chuckles that reverberate through the small crowd gathered around me.

"So, you're parents really are that poor?" Chuck asks in a condescending tone and despite the fact that I know what I am about to say won't hurt them, they won't care one bit and they won't feel guilty I feel like I should at least try.

"I wouldn't know, I've never met them," I say and regret that instantly,

"What are you talking about?" Blair asks and she seems intrigued which can't be good at all.

"Nothing, it… it doesn't matter," I mutter distractedly grabbing my things and pushing through them as I make my way to the toilets.

The next few weeks become more and more intense and I am struggling to cope with everything, not that I have anyone to talk to. The weirdest thing is that that group of elite socialites that I spend my days sitting behind in class they seem to be taking an interest in my life which is terrifying. Blair and Chuck have both begun to make comments at random and using my name occasionally in fact the only one who doesn't know my name or take any interest in me is Nate, sods law right? Things at home were more intense too, I was trying to study for the SATs and my foster parents where not enjoying that I had to study they were beginning to resent my presence and I wasn't sure how much longer it would be before they got rid of me.

Finally, the day of the SATs arrives and I head to the centre with everyone else and for the first time I don't have to think about anything other than the fact that I had to do well, I only concentrated on my test and it was almost blissful, I was equal for the first time to those around me and I can feel a smile on my face for the first time in a long time as I leave, knowing that I have done well. Knowing that I would one day be able to escape and find happiness away from this place.

Walking down the steps amid the masses of other SAT survivors when I glance up and see Nate in front of me and for one glorious, fantasy driven moment I think he might be smiling at me but it is short lived. My heart stops as my body does watching him smiling and laughing with her and putting her into his car. Throat constricting, I try to turn away but can't seem to manage it, he looks so happy.

"You don't belong in our world Morgan, this is just a reminder," Chucks voice startles me as he appears beside me and for a second as I look up at him I think I see a flicker of something like compassion in his expression and I offer him a bitter little smile.

"Neither does she," I reply in little more than a whisper,

"And she'll learn that soon enough," he smirks, "Nate is just having a bit of a mess around with the help," I sigh at this before turning away.

"Goodbye Chuck," I murmur, tears still stinging in my eyes he doesn't reply but then I wasn't expecting him to really. Instead I just head home knowing that I was due a punishment of some kind for being late.

By the time I do arrive home it is to see that my foster father is already drunk out of his skull and my foster mother is passed out asleep, one too many sleeping pills again. I sigh silently, hoping that at least this means that I could avoid any interaction with them this way. Creeping through the house into the kitchen I have just opened the fridge door when a cold hand grasps my arm in a vice like grip.

"Thieving little bitch," my foster father growls pulling my so harshly away from the fridge door that I yelp in pain and shock.

"I was just getting some dinner on," I squeak out shakily,

"You don't eat tonight I have other things planned," my blood runs cold as he drags me through to the living room, this was new, and terrifying.

"I don't know what you mean," I whisper and before I can do anything his hands are ripping at my clothes and I am screaming, a blow across my face has me seeing stars and tasting blood in my mouth. I scream again and push him as hard as I can, thanking whatever deities there are that he is drunk enough for me to overpower him. He falls back and I run, out of the house and down the street. I keep running, tears blurring my vision and my head pounding painfully.

"Morgan?" I gasp and yelp in fright as someone calls my name and grabs my arm, looking up I see Nate's face swimming before my own, "Jesus Morgan what happened to you?" he asks and I try to back away from him quickly tripping and landing on my arse.

"S…sorry," I stutter eventually and he sighs as he crouches down in front of me before pulling me gently to my feet and sitting me on a bench where he sits beside me.

"What's going on Morgan?" he asks and the concern in his voice is so confusing I almost forget where I am and what is happening.

"How do you even know my name?" I ask quietly and he sighs moving closer to me and then removing his coat and wrapping it around me as I shiver, "I don't understand," I say trying desperately to keep the emotion out of my voice.

"Let's get you somewhere warm and I'll explain everything," he murmurs in response pulling me up gently and I don't have it in me to argue, I sit quietly, almost catatonic in the car he puts me in trying not to think about his concerned glances as I try to work out what parallel universe I've slipped into.


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"An hour later and I am sitting on the sofa of a penthouse suite in one of the Bass hotels, wearing Chuck Bass' clothes and staring at said Bass as he sits next to Nate opposite me. They are both staring fixedly at my arms and looking down I notice they are uncovered and therefore the bruises that little them are clearly visible and so I quickly pull down the sleeves of the top I am wearing. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't understand," I say once again as I realise that neither of them are going to speak and they continue to stare for a while./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What's to understand sweetheart we're acting as your knights in shining armour," Chuck smirks and Nate glares at him as I stand up./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thank you for helping but I'm not a charity case no matter what you think, I'll… I'm going to go home, thank you again," I say quietly but before I can reach the door Nate is in front of me again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Where are you going to go?" he asks and I smile weakly at him,/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Home Nate," I sigh, wincing as he grabs my arm and tries to stop me from continuing my journey to the door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You can't, look at yourself, I know they did this," he yells and I am angry now as I round on both of them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What do you know?" I shout at them both, "you live in a different world from me, it's a few bruises Nate that's all, besides I have nowhere else to go so I'm going home," /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Stay here," Nate replies instantly and I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of his suggestion./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Right and when you're bored of your pet project? Like I said thank you for the help but I need to go back to reality now and my home before he wakes up and realises I'm not there," I say with a slight shudder because really, on the inside I really want to stay, I want to be rescued and looked after and treated like a princess but I didn't want to be a charity case and I didn't want to be beholden to anyone. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But what if they hurt you when you go back there?" Nate asks and the desperation to help me in his voice almost makes me cave… almost./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It won't be anything I'm not used to," I say trying to keep the pain and bitterness out of my voice, "besides, I don't belong in your world do I Chuck?" I ask quietly and he looks, I can't place the expression on his face and so I shrug slightly and turn back towards the door. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I'm not quite sure whether to be glad or disappointed when no one stops me this time. Pausing with my hand on the door handle I turn back to them for a second,/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thank you again, I obviously misjudged you both, I'll bring back your clothes once I've cleaned them," I say, my voice quiet and distant as I leave the room and the hotel, making my way back to my 'home', a bitter laugh escapes as I think that, it was the furthest thing from a home that it would be possible to find./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Third Person POV/span/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well that was eventful," Chuck drawls after the suite has been silent for few moments and Nate growls in frustration taking the drink that Chuck hold out to him and sinking into the seat beside him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""She's different," he replies and Chuck laughs, /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah but I thought you'd had your bit of rough with Vanessa," Nate merely growls again which causes Chuck to laugh./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What has she done to me?" he cries out after taking a huge gulp of the drink in his hand, placing it on the table and running his hands through his hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""She turned you down, you're not used to that, neither of us are," Chuck answers and Nate looks at him through tortured eyes, "oh don't tell me you're falling for her?" he adds although even Nate can see that the usual disdain is missing from his voice as he says it. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Like I said she's… different," Nate sighs, leaning back against the sofa, his head resting against the back edge as he stares up at the ceiling./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I'll admit she does have a certain, poise, that is difficult to find, it's not something that can be taught might be worth keeping an eye on her," he muses and Nate cocks his head to look at him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""And if Serena and Blair find out we're 'keeping an eye on her' they'll go mad, I'm not having her being some pet project that you can destroy," Nate admonishes causing Chuck to laugh again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I think she can handle herself, besides they might like the idea," he says and the thought does not put Nate at ease at all./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"A week later and both boys are becoming concerned despite themselves, well for Nate he has already admitted it but for Chuck, this was new territory he didn't quite know what was happening to him. He had admitted to loving Blair true but that was easy to conclude, they were the same, he and Blair, they loved to scheme and spy and be the best and richest but this girl was different and what confused him even more was the idea that he wasn't interested in her in a sexual way at all. Why did he care? There was nothing in it for him, he didn't want her, she had nothing to offer him so why was he bothered?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Chuck what is up with you and Nate?" Serena asks as they sit in the quad and he glances up at her and Blair before letting out a growl of frustration./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It's her," he snaps pointing at Morgan where she sits totally unaware picking once again at a piece of bread./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What about her?" Blair asks, disdain audible in her voice and he shakes his head a wry smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Nate brought her to my suite last week all beaten up and tried to play hero," he explains and Nate glowers at him slightly as the two girls lean in to hear more./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What do you mean tried to?" Serena asks a touch of concern in her voice as well amusement at the idea of Nate striking out. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""She turned him down, told him she didn't want to be anybody's charity case and was going home, we had an idea that it was her foster parents that had beaten her up so we decided to keep an eye on her," he says and Blair makes an exasperated sound as the story was clearly taking too long for her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So what's the big deal then?" she asks and all three others shoot her a look which causes her to blush slightly and Chuck to smile, he knew the real her, that deep down she cared, was the most loving and caring person he knew but she was insecure too and she suspected he had a thing for Morgan so her way to avoid hurt was to avoid feelings. It was why they were so perfect for one another, they were the same, both felt a lot more than they ever let show./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I can't work out why I care, I don't want her in any way, she has nothing to offer me and yet I seem to find myself invested in her somehow," he admits./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So what have you figured out?" Blair asks now, reassured, he can tell by the spark in her eye and intrigued at the idea of a mission./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Nothing much," Nate groans, "she is walking funny like she's hurt her hip or leg but other than that we have nothing and even if we do then she won't let us help because she thinks it's a trick or just charity," he adds and the two girls look at him for a while./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You really like her don't you," Serena asks with a grin and he sighs before running his hands through his hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't know, she's, she's different," he says eventually,/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Then leave this to us, meet us at my place tonight at ten," Blair says happily before grabbing Serena and standing up./span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

**Third Person POV**

The two girls waste no time in following Morgan home and staking out the place. Serena rolling her eyes at Blair's constant comments over the disgusting neighbourhood they were in.

"What are we actually here for?" Serena asks after a while her coffee long since cold and boredom seeping in as they stand watching the house across the street.

"To work out whether she can be trusted," Blair replies as if it is the most obvious thing in the world,

"And how exactly are we doing that over here?" Serena questions with her eyebrows raised as Blair glances at her before gazing back at the house before giving an exasperated sigh.

"I don't know," she says eventually,

"And what exactly are we going to do with whatever we were hoping to find out?" she pushes to which Blair just shrugs sulkily.

They spend the next half hour in silence watching the quiet building. Everything appeared normal and the girls are just beginning to give up and head home when the door crashed open and a small, muffled cry is heard. Both look up and peer across from their hiding place to see Morgan sitting awkwardly at the bottom of the front steps of the house a burly, ugly man towering over her.

"I told you slut," he slurs at her loudly enough that both girls could hear him from across the road. She says something to him but it is too muffled for them to make out both girls however hear the blow delivered suddenly across her face as well as they see it and it makes them flinch and recoil. Morgan scrambles backwards away from him as he advances before somehow pulling herself to her feet and half running, half limping moves down the road before she disappears around the corner.

Blair and Serena are completely silent as they ride home, both girls pale and shaken as they enter Blair's home Chuck and Nate move towards them, worry evident on their own faces as they see the state of the girls.

"What's happened? What's wrong?" Nate asks immediately as Chuck busies himself pouring them all drinks.

"We have to get her out of there," Blair says after a minute and the three others look at her in shock. Serena and Nate couldn't be more shocked than if Chuck had been the one to speak.

"What's triggered this sudden change in personality?" Chuck tries to joke but it is half hearted at best and Blair doesn't even have it in her to retaliate.

"That man," she shudders as she thinks back to the moment, "God and to think I thought I had it rough, I mean we've all… none of us have… our parents are… but they would never… he hit her so hard," her speech is broken and disjointed and the two boys tense as she says the final words Serena flinching as she remembers it too.

"Where is she?" Nate asks immediately already on his feet and ready to go and find her.

"She ran away from him," Serena whispers,

"We have to find her," Nate almost shouts trying to make the others follow him but is quickly stopped by Chuck placing a hand on his shoulder.

"And what about when we do? Bring her back here for an hour before she goes back again?" he asks and Nate growls at him.

"We won't let her leave," he says angrily and Chuck shakes his head with a little smile,

"I'll get Dorota to make up one of the rooms for her," Blair offers and Chuck almost laughs at that.

"She'd never accept, she'll think you're playing some kind of cruel trick or making her a charity project," he states and Blair is almost in tears as she stands up.

"Then we find her and convince her that it's neither of those things, we tell her the truth about our own families and let her in, I was wrong when I said those things, she's one of us she…" Blair breaks off as Chuck rests his hand against her back soothingly.

"I'm not sure that will work," he murmurs before being interrupted by Serena,

"Look maybe it will maybe it won't but we have to try, this is our chance to make things right,"

"You say that and she'll be out the door straight away, you've pretty much just confirmed that she's a charity case for us," Nate almost growls and they all look to him.

"Look let's just find her and bring her back here and then we'll figure out the rest," Chuck decides and within minutes they are all in the back of Chuck's limo heading towards her neighbourhood.

It doesn't take long to find her as soon as the car rounds the corner into her street they see her standing in front of the house. Seeming to be working up the courage to enter. Nate jumps out of the car before the others and runs towards her, his heart pounding in his chest, why did this girl mean so much? It wasn't because she was poor and had a different view, Vanessa had been like that too and she had never held his interest like that.

"Morgan," she freezes as she hears him call her name and begins to turn towards him, her eyes widening as she sees Nate rushing towards her, Chuck, Serena and Blair just behind him.

Nate is almost beside her when a vice like grip takes her arm forcing a whimper of pain from her before she can stop it.

"Get in the house now," her foster father reeks so strongly of alcohol that all four teens recoil having now got close enough to be standing beside Nate who is just in front of her.

"Let her go," Nate demands his voice deadly calm and authoritative despite still being a child himself.

"Piss off," the man growls shoving Morgan towards the house so hard she stumbles and falls another cry of pain escaping her as her body collides painfully with the cement steps.

"No, let her go," Nate continues standing his ground even as the man advances, Chuck quickly pushing Blair and Serena behind him and taking up a protective stance in front of them, beside Nate.

"She's my kid," the man gloats pressing a finger into Nate's chest and moving to push him again when Morgan suddenly appears before him.

"Please," she exclaims quietly feeling the four other teenagers tense behind her, Nate's grip on her arm infinitely more gentle than anything she was used to and despite the situation she is forced to fight the shudder that wants to roll through her as his fingers grip her elbow.

"Morgan, get behind me," he whispers to her urgently,

"Let them go David, I'll be good I promise," she says and he growls again and for a second it seems as if everything will calm down until his hand shoots out and takes hold of her hair, pulling her roughly towards him, tears of pain leaking from her eyes as she fights not to scream.

"You think you can tell me what to do bitch?" he grits out his face inches from hers,

"Let go of her," Serena screams even as Nate and Chuck jump forward to pull him off of Morgan.

"No," he yells in a rage spinning round and letting go of her at the same time, Morgan's body flies through the air and she has no time to protect her head before it collides with the floor and her eyes flutter closed.

"Morgan," Blair darts forward with Serena and both girls hover over the unconscious body on the ground.

"Girls go find her room and pack up her things," Chuck instructs and they do so without speaking, rushing into the house and up the stairs, trying not to recoil at how little she really had. They pulled out a bag and shoved all of her clothes and her uniform and books into it, Serena making sure that they had picked up any pictures or trinkets and keepsakes.

"What do you think you are doing?" the man asks from his position on the floor now, one hand clutching his nose, which was flowing quite freely with blood curtesy of a well-aimed punch delivered by Nate.

"We're taking her away from you, where you'll never be able to hurt her again," Nate grits out through his teeth, his entire body shaking with anger.

"Nate, go look after Morgan," Chuck instructs quietly, and Nate moves towards her after a moment of tense silence.

"You can't take her I don't know who you think you are," the man growls out now as he stumbles to his feet. Chuck merely smirks, his eyes taking in Serena and Blair running back out of the house and towards the car as Nate picks Morgan up and carries her to the car too.

"I'm Chuck Bass, you'll never see her again come near her and you'll regret it," he says coldly as he turns and steps into the limo breathing an internal sigh of relief as they begin to move.


	4. Chapter 4

**Morgan's POV**

As consciousness begins to filter back to me I become aware of two things that confuse and terrify me. Firstly, my head hurt, a lot. I felt as though a herd of elephants were currently trampling through it over and over again. Secondly, I was being held protectively against someone's body. I immediately begin to struggle but the voice that begins to urgently speak to me stills me instantly.

"Morgan, please you have to stay still," Nate's voice, I would recognise it anywhere, even if it had only been directed at me a few times. One of the perks to being in love with him I guess. For a while I merely try to breathe through the foggy mess that is my head and the pain that seemed to be flowing through my entire body at the moment.

"What… where am I? What's going on?" I ask, still unable to open my eyes as I grit my teeth against a fresh wave of pain that pulses through me.

"We're on our way to the emergency room, it's okay you're safe now," he says quietly and I automatically struggle again causing his arms to tighten around me and a groan of pain to escape me as the movement forces a pain to rush through me so suddenly that I almost vomit.

"I can't," I gasp out after I have regained control of my voice, "I can't afford it," I continue and for a moment there is silence.

"Money isn't an issue princess," the voice makes me stiffen. Of course I recognise it, for a second I do nothing, thoughts rushing through my head too fast, adding to the pain there already. Eventually though I force my eyes open and another whimper of pain and embarrassment as I see Blair and Serena sitting opposite me with Chuck between them.

"Why did you come to my house?" I ask after another pause and they glance at one another before Blair finally speaks up.

"Nate and Chuck were worried about you and Serena and I decided to investigate," she says simply before glancing down and swallowing, "then we saw… I… we couldn't let…" she trails off swallowing again as Chuck takes her hand in his and gives it a squeeze.

"I'm not a charity case," I grind out through gritted teeth and hear a sigh behind me, unable to turn and see Nate's face, the pain in my body still too strong.

"That's not what this is," he sounds frustrated and something else too but I can't place it so merely shake my head slightly.

"What else is it then? You hate me," I say looking towards the three opposite me, "you barely acknowledge my existence unless it is to mock me or humiliate me. I don't… I can't owe you this too, please just let me go," I finish in a whisper, angry when I feel tears making tracks down my heated and swollen cheeks.

"You think we want to hold this over you?" Chuck smirks and I stiffen slightly again, "we just want to help, you're one of us after all," he continues and I laugh bitterly at this.

"I'm not one of you, you don't know the first thing about my life," I retort and then instantly flinch at the growl that emanates from the teen billionaire.

"Get off your soap box Morgan," he bites out, "You think we don't know what it's like to have shits for parents, Serena's mum spends her life chasing billionaires to marry and constantly undermines and underestimates her while her dad wants nothing to do with her. Blair's dad ran off with a male model while her mum ran away and left her to deal with things alone, not before giving her an eating disorder first and my dad spent my entire life blaming me for my mum's death and hating me for it. Oh, and Nate's dad embezzled millions before stealing his mother's money and his money and trying to go on the run, and he was a junkie to boot. We've all had our fair share of shit to deal with, although we've managed to keep most of what I've just told you out of the public domain. You are one of us Morgan and I'm sorry but things have changed now whether you wanted them to or not," he is breathing fairly heavily when he finishes and the girls are both looking at their hands, Nate's fingers twitching against the skin of my arms.

"What do I do?" I whisper the question sensing that they would rather have a change of subject, I know I would if someone had just been told my family secrets.

"Well, we get you patched up to start with," Nate murmurs from behind me and I sigh a tiny amount as the reality of my situation sinks in.

"He's going to kill me, I… I can't go back but if I don't I don't have anywhere… and what about school?" I can feel myself panicking, the panic causing pain to rush through me again and I can't quite contain the yelp that escapes me as it begins to overwhelm my senses.

"You're not going back there Princess," Chuck starts simply and I can sense that there is tension radiating through everyone in the car, "and before you say anything, it is not charity its called friendship and yes okay we've not treated you as friends before but we consider you one of us now, like we said and I own half the bloody hotels in Manhatten so you'll move into a suite and that's the end of it," he is so stern and void of his usual sarcasm that for once I see a glimpse of the vulnerability beneath it. He is right, they've all suffered, they behave the way they do because of the way they've been treated and I needed to stop being so stubborn, it wasn't charity so much as it was help.

"Okay," I whisper quietly with a nod which causes another whimper of pain to escape my mouth.

"It's okay, we'll be at the emergency room soon," Nate whispers to me gently his arms shifting around me slightly and for the first time I see his face, the worry, the concern, the… blood. His shirt had bright red blood all over it and that sends a whole new panic rocketing through me.

"Oh God Nate, you're bleeding, are you okay?" I murmur trying to reach up to him but finding that one of my arms isn't properly working.

"I'm fine, it's… it's your blood Morgan," he replies after a moment and I relax slightly into his grip and sigh.

"Oh thank god," the words slip out before I can stop them and I feel them all stiffen around me once more.

"How… how many times?" Serena asks eventually, her voice seeming to echo in the silence of the car.

"It doesn't matter, not now, please, I'll… I'll tell you later just don't make me," I am not quite sure what I am asking for, just that I can't talk about this, not right now.

"Okay, we're here, come on let's get you sorted out," Chuck says to defuse the situation and I can't help but notice that the usual biting sarcasm and malicious undertones were missing and he grins as he looks at me, "very few people get to see the nicer side of me, I guess, now, you're one of them," he smiles and the others do too as they climb out and Nate carries me in towards the emergency room.

I sit silently through the tests and questions, allowing Chuck and Nate to answer everything for me, except when they ask about whether I had been sexually assaulted, I tense then and the boys look like they are ready to go back and see my foster father again, that's when the girls step in and I tell them that I hadn't. Whispering afterwards that they had saved me just in time. Eventually, the doctors leave me alone after telling me that I was to stay in overnight under observation but that I could be released to a guardian after that.

"What am I going to do?" I whisper tearfully as I pick at the drip in my arm until Nate's fingers still my hand gently, the warmth from them burning through me as I fight not to blush.  
"Everything will be okay I promise," Blair says and I look over to see her sitting beside Serena on the other side of the bed.

"But… but she… she said that I could only be released to… oh God he's going to come back for me," I gasp out the last words unable to stop the tears that are gathering as my emotions once again get the better of me.

"That's why Chuck is on the phone to child services right now M," Serena states simply and I struggle to breathe as she use a new nickname that makes me sound remarkably like them, the fact that they were genuinely trying to help me, the fact that I have just stepped into an alternate reality of some kind.

"Money really can buy you pretty much anything you know," Chuck comments with a smirk as he comes back into the room and we all look at him expectantly.

"What's going on?" I ask anxiously and he simply smirks more widely as he walks over to me, stopping to whisper something in Serena's ear, who promptly leaves with Blair in tow.

"Welcome to the family," he replies and I raise an eyebrow at him in utter confusion, glancing at Nate but seeing him looking equally perplexed.

"I pulled some strings, used my name, I am officially your legal guardian now, well as soon as Serena gets her mum to co-sign a couple legal agreements that is," I choke as he says it my hands shaking as I stare up at him in shock.


	5. Chapter 5

"I… I don't know what to say," I stutter out pathetically after a few minutes of just gaping at him.

"Just say yes, princess," he smiles and I smile weakly back at him.

"What's wrong?" Nate asks me a while later when the others have all gone home and he is still sitting beside me, his legs resting on the edge of the bed as he leans back in his chair.

"You can go home you know," I reply with a tiny smile and he sighs as he looks over at me, my face flushing with heat the second I feel his gaze on me.

"Stop avoiding the question," he smiles back and I shake my head averting my eyes from his and gazing intently at the wall instead.

"I just don't understand any of this," I say eventually, "I know you keep saying it's because we're all the same and it's not charity and we're friends now but it just came out of nowhere like a freight train Nate and I don't get it," I pause for a second to gather my thoughts and glance over at him to see him sitting up slightly a look of concern painted across his face that just frustrates me even more.

"Morgan…" he starts but I give him a look which silences him and so he shifts slightly as he waits for me to speak.

"You never spoke to me, you never even knew I existed. The first time in six years of me being at school with you that you have even acknowledged me was when you took me back to Chuck's that night. This is all just so… insane and I'm waiting for the big reveal, the camera's the gossip girl blast that this has all been a prank because no matter what you say we are from different worlds. You have all had horrible things happen to you because of your parents but I don't even know who mine are all I know is that I've been stuck with shitty foster parents for as long as I can remember and I was particularly unlucky with these ones," I am breathing hard when I finish and for a moment he doesn't respond at all just stares at me.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he murmurs after a while and I just shake my head at him feeling suddenly tearful and exhausted again.

"I'm scared Nate and I don't know what to believe and who to trust because I don't know any of you, not really but I have literally nowhere else to turn and I'm scared that I'm going to be hurt even worse if I step into your world," I finish and he moves so that he is sitting on the edge of the bed taking my hand in his and rubbing soothing circles across the back off it with his thumb.

"How do you go to Constance?" he asks suddenly and I look at him in utter bewilderment,

"What do you mean?" I ask quietly glad that this change in direction was at least giving me the chance to gather my senses.

"How do you afford to go to Constance, I mean your… those people hardly seemed like they were the type to pay for you to go a school like Constance?" he asks and I frown slightly as he hits upon the thing that had confused me for years.

"I… I don't really know, there's an anonymous benefactor that pays for me to go, that's all my social worker would tell me when I asked," I answer and I see his own frown he puzzles this out.

"What is it?" I ask in a whisper after the silence has stretched between us for too long and he glances at me almost as if he had only just realised I was there.

"Nothing, I was just wondering…" he trails off as if unsure and I give him a little smile as I figure out what he is wondering.

"Don't worry," I say quietly, "I thought it too, for a while but I was told that my parents were dead and even if they weren't why would they give me up and then pay for a school like that, it makes no sense. None of it makes sense but I gave up trying to figure it out and focused on just surviving," I say with a sigh and a yawn.

"Go to sleep sweetheart, I'll be here when you wake up I promise," he whispers and I stare up at him in confusion.

"Why?" I ask and it his turn to once again quirk an eyebrow at me as he manoeuvres himself to once again sit in the chair beside my bed.

"I… I don't know but I do know that even though you may think this is crazy and I may have never taken the time to get to know you properly before and if I'm honest it is all a bit mental but that's how things work on the Upper East Side and I want to get to know you," he is so earnest as he speaks that I can't help the blush that spreads across my face.

"I'd like that," I murmur quietly and he smiles as he squeezes my hand and sits back, his fingers still holding mine as I feel myself drifting into unconsciousness.

 **Third Person POV**

The door opening quietly causes Nate to stir and sit up slightly as he turns to see Chuck in the doorway.

"How's she doing?" he asks as he moves across the room to sit beside Nate and is glad that he insisted on a private room for her.

"She's finally asleep," Nate replies glancing at his friend and Chuck merely quirks an eyebrow as he waits for him to elaborate with what he clearly needs to say. "We need to do some research, are you still in touch with you PI?" he finishes at last and Chuck nods, his own frown deepening as he tries to work out what Nate is getting at.

"I am, what do we need to find out?" he asks quietly, glancing over at Morgan sleeping peacefully in the bed beside them.

"I want to know who pays for her schooling," he says simply and Chuck huffs out a bemused laugh.

"And what does Morgan want to know?" Nate shifts slightly in his chair at this and glances at her before looking resolutely back at his friend.

"She doesn't know what to think and she's given up trying to work anything out but I want to know why someone is willing to anonymously pay for her to go to a school like Constance but is happy to leave her to live in a place like that with people like that," Chuck makes a noise of agreement at this before rubbing a hand across his face and moving to stand.

"I'll go call him now and then go get us some coffee, the girls have set up a room for her in my suite at the Palace we'll take her there when she is released in the morning," he replies as he steps out of the room and Nate settles back to doze until he returned.

The morning dawns slowly and the two boys watch patiently and silently for Morgan to wake up so they could go home and get some real sleep. Her sleep had been interrupted with further tests and checks on her concussion and blood pressure and the continual bleeping of machines did not help either. Both Chuck and Nate had also been awoken earlier to another gossip girl blast about Morgan and it had irritated both of them a little too much.

"Nate," the voice is small and exhausted and Nate is a little surprised to find that his heart constricted a little as he heard it and butterflies began to flutter in his stomach in a way he had never experienced before.

"Morning," he smiles at her and the butterflies begin a manic dance as she smiles back at him. They sit silently for a while as they wait for the doctor to come round and discharge her and Nate has a moment to think about Morgan and, more specifically, his reaction to her.

He had been with Blair since before he really understood what dating was, when he had really hit puberty and come into his stride the need to rebel and get away from the way his life had seemed to mapped out led him into Serena's arms and whilst their chemistry was undeniable at first they both agreed it was a huge mistake. Vanessa had held a certain fascination for him too but he had never felt the way he felt about Morgan for any of them. With her it was different. He hardly knew her, had only spoken to her a few times despite the situation they were in now and he couldn't understand why. Everything in him screamed for him to be near her, to protect her, to make her laugh and it scared him. The girl was a mystery, a damaged mystery and he had enough of his own problems both of his own making and his family's and part of him had agreed with her last night and wanted to tell her she should be scared and she should run far from his world. The stronger, selfish part of him stopped that from happening though and he was glad because he was already becoming aware of the fact that he wasn't sure whether he could cope without her in his life any longer.

"You ready princess?" Chuck says with a smirk as she steps out from behind the curtain back in her clothes an hour later. Nate can't help but laugh at the way she blushes even as it causes those butterflies to start up a rampage again.

"Where are we going?" she asks after a moment as they begin to walk along the corridor and towards the hospital's exit.

"Home, your new home," Chuck replies and she falters in her step slightly and it is obvious to both boys that she is fighting the urge to tell them to leave her be, to be independent and tell them that she didn't need charity. She didn't know it but part of the reason they were so drawn to her, that they wanted to help her was her fierce independence and refusal to act like or be a money hungry gold digger, a girl that was par for the course in their world usually.

"So where… erm I mean… this is so strange," she murmurs to herself before clearing her throat a little, "where do I live now and for how long?" she finishes after and Nate turns to face her as Chuck goes to get the car brought around.

"You're going to live with Chuck, Serena's mum signed the documents last night, he is now your official guardian," he answers and she laughs a little at the thought of it.

"But he's only seventeen," she says after a second and he laughs too as he sees the car pull around the corner and places his hand on the small of her back to push her gently towards the door, an action which causes a shiver to run down her spine.

"When you're as rich as Chuck is you can find your way around these things," he whispers to her before opening the door and helping her in.

Morgan winces slightly as she tries to settle and Chuck tightens his grip slightly on his whiskey glass as he thinks about paying someone to go back and teach her foster father a lesson.

"We'll all get some proper sleep once we get home princess don't worry," he says instead and she offers him a shy smile still struggling to get used to this side of him, although judging by Nate's expression he is also unused to it and he raises an eyebrow which makes Chuck growl a little, "what?" he asks as he takes a gulp of whiskey.

"Nothing, just trying to work out where this new found heart has come from," Nate grins at him making Chuck snarl a little at him.

"I protect what's mine you know that, she's my family now, I'm her guardian and so I protect her end of story," he replies shortly turning his face to glare out of the window and try not to let either of them see how much he had meant those words and how much it scared him that he had. The only person he had ever confessed to loving was Blair, the only people he would protect above all others were Serena and Nate and yet even they, all three of them had been subjected to his games and rudeness and it scared him more than he cared to think about how much he didn't want to let Morgan be subjected to that anymore, he wanted to keep her safe and protected.


End file.
